by Clay, Verna
"Oh, Rush, you're shivering. I can't believe you were going to spend the whole night freezing."
He chuckled, "Ma'am, if you'd been raised by my ma, you'd never overstep your bounds."
"How so?"
"She was a stickler for propriety. Drove my pa crazy. She even made me and my brother attend her teas on Sundays. If we so much as got out of line, she had a way of chastising with words that'd make your ears turn purple." He laughed, "Her and pa were so ill matched it was hilarious. But, oh, how they loved each other."
"I wish I could have met them. They sound like wonderful parents." Before she considered her words, she asked, "What's your brother's name?" She had moved until her front rested against his back to bring him warmth, and she felt him stiffen. "I'm so sorry, I…"
"His name is Trent and he's a year younger than me."
After awhile, his shivering stopped and Lilah thought he'd drifted to sleep until he said softly, "My wife's name was Kathryn; we called her Katy."
Soon Lilah heard his breathing even out and she snuggled closer to his warmth. She'd wanted him to keep talking about his family, but she knew he would reveal only what he wanted, when he wanted, if ever.
Lilah drifted into a deep sleep and a wonderful sense of wellbeing enveloped her. She moved closer to warmth suffusing her body and lifted her head slightly. Something scratchy rubbed against her cheek, but it was nice. Was she dreaming? If so, she wanted to explore this dream. She rubbed her palms upward and realized there was clothing separating her from powerful muscles. She didn't like that. But for now she would explore the scratchiness. She grazed her mouth across it until she found what she wanted. Tightening her fingers against the muscular body, she moved her lips over a mouth that was both hard and soft, and wondered how that was possible. Inhaling and sighing, she breathed Rush's familiar scent. She never wanted to awaken. She again moved her lips to the scratchiness, but soon wanted to find that hard and soft mouth again."
A raspy voice asked, "Lilah?"
She opened her eyes to see her body stretched atop Rush's, her hands holding fistfuls of his shirt. All the air whooshed from her lungs as she jerked awake. She inhaled sharply and gasped, "Oh! Oh!" and jumped backwards.
Rush looked like he'd just awakened. And then he looked just as surprised.
Lilah blurted, "I-I don't know what to say. I was dreaming and-and…"
Rush scratched the stubble on his face and sat up. "It's okay, Lilah."
She jumped to her feet. "I-I'll start the coffee and breakfast."
* * *
Rush hastened away from camp not only to take care of nature's call, but to put distance between himself and Lilah. God help him, he wished they were back under the covers dreaming. However, from her reaction, what he considered to be a fabulous dream, she considered to be more of a nightmare.
Chapter 12: Laredo
Just after noon of the next day, they entered the dusty town of Laredo after crossing mostly flat land of scrub brush, with a scattering of hills, and almost no trees. The warm day had led most folks inside their weathered wooden structures, but the few people standing on the boardwalk in front of the general store or tying their horses to railings, gave them passing interest.
As for their previous morning's encounter, neither of them spoke of it. Rush figured that if Lilah wanted to talk about it, she would bring it up. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable or open a can of worms by admitting his desire for her.
He led Rio down the wide main road and marveled at how much the town had grown over the past twenty years. He'd heard tell that after the War of the States, Confederates had moved to the area to start over, and that cattle and sheep ranches abounded, often erupting into conflicts between the two groups.
As a child, he'd made the two day trip with his father from their ranch northwest of town and always looked forward to the diversity of people: ranchers, painted-faced ladies, Mexicans, Indians, range-weary cowboys, families. He glanced up at Lilah on Rio. "There used to be a semi-decent hotel at the end of the road. Maybe it's still there. Hopefully, we won't have to come back to that one." He jerked his head toward a gaudily painted building next to the saloon. A sign over its entrance proclaimed in bold letters, The Pink Palace Hotel.
Lilah's eyes widened and he wanted to kick himself for his stupid joke. "Just kidding. If need be, I'll ask around to see if anyone boards folks in their home."
Their progress had obviously been noticed by a saloon gal leaning on her elbows against the railing of the second floor of The Pink Palace Hotel, because she called, "Hey cowboy, after you get the wife settled, come on back and ask for Tara. I'd surely remember a tall, handsome man such as yourself."
Rush ignored her comment and said to Lilah, "Nope, we definitely won't be staying there. Let's hope the other hotel survived twenty years."
A few minutes later he was relieved to read, Laredo Hotel, and below that in smaller letters, Families Welcome. He heard Lilah say, "Thank God."
He tied Rio to the hitching post and made a mental note to pay for the best hay and treats for the faithful steed when he stabled him. He reached and lifted Lilah to the ground. She had lost a lot of weight and he intended to see that she put it back on.
With a little gasp, she tugged on the strings of her strange bonnet and then giggled, "I think I'll remove my fashionable bonnet."
Considering what she'd been through, her giggle was one of the sweetest sounds Rush had ever heard.
Before guiding her inside the hotel he touched her arm and said, "Ma'am, we'll need to check in as husband and wife. This town is rowdy and I don't want you out of my sight. I'll sleep on the floor."
Looking embarrassed, she did not argue with him. She stepped onto the boardwalk and toward the hotel entrance. Inwardly, Rush groaned. Being on the range and lying beside a sickly woman to keep her warm was one thing, but now that she was on the road to recovery, even lying in the same room was going to be torture, especially after he'd tasted her lips.
Rush checked them into the hotel and after signing the register, looked closer at the clerk. "Your name isn't Percy, is it?"
"Yes, sir, it is. Do I know you?"
Rush grinned. "If you remember climbing that old oak behind the general store and gettin' stuck in the top branches, you might remember me."
The man squinted. "Rush? Rush Garrett, the brother of Trent?"
Rush frowned slightly and then smiled. "Yep, that's me."
Percy stuck his hand across the counter and Rush grabbed it in a firm shake. Then Percy nodded to Lilah. "Mrs. Garrett, it's a pleasure makin' your acquaintance."
Lilah shifted her stance, glanced at Rush, and then back at Percy. "I'm pleased to meet you too, sir."
"Ma'am, you just call me Percy. Why me and Rush go way back—got into more trouble than a six week old pup." He returned his attention to Rush, "I'm givin' you two the honeymoon suite at no extra charge."
Lilah said, "Oh, no–"
Rush interrupted. "Now that's mighty kind of you, Percy. Does it have a bathtub?"
Percy winked. "Got a real fancy tub all the way from Paree, least ways that's what the brochure said. How soon do you want water delivered?"
"As soon as it's convenient."
"I'll get my boys on it right away. I got twin boys and twin girls. My girls are thirteen and my boys are fourteen, and can you believe it—my wife is expecting again. Didn't think we'd have more children, so it was a big surprise. She even looks like she's gonna have twins again."
Rush chuckled. "Congratulations, Percy."
Percy grinned. "You two got any youngins'? I was right sorry to hear 'bout you losin' the baby and Katy. And since you left right after that, I never got a chance to tell you."
"Ah, no. No children."
Percy suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry Mrs. Garrett. Sometimes I say things without thinkin' and stick my boot right down my throat."
Rush wasn't sure how to salvage the situation so he interrupted Percy's apology. "
My wife's pretty tired. I think I'll get her situated."
Percy hastened to say, "And I'll get my boys up there with warm water." He turned, lifted a key off a hook, handed it to Rush, and with an apologetic nod, said, "Ma'am, sorry again."
Lilah said, "Percy, you have nothing to be sorry for. Thank you for your graciousness."
The sweet smile Lilah gave Percy melted Rush's own heart. No matter her occupation, the woman had class.
* * *
Lilah languished in the "Paree" bathtub. Sprinkling more bath powder into the water, she swirled it with her hands until her body disappeared beneath a mound of bubbles. The honeymoon suite was truly that, and she imagined many couples had spent delightful hours in the two rooms making up the suite. The tub had been pulled from a corner in the bedroom to the center of the room and Percy's boys had brought water within minutes of her and Rush entering their haven from the world. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Her hair, now clean, lay floating in the water above her breasts. She played with a corkscrew tendril and thought about Percy's reference to Rush's wife. When Rush had told her about his wife, he hadn't mentioned a child. Perhaps even now the pain is too great.
Lilah's eyelids felt heavy and she closed them.
A knock on the door startled her awake. "Lilah, are you okay? You've been in there for over two hours."
She felt groggy and said thickly, "Yes. I'm fine. I fell asleep in the tub. I'm getting out now."
"Ma'am you can stay in there as long as you want. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
"Thank you, Rush. But I now have prune skin and the water is cold."
* * *
Rush heard water sloshing and wanted to groan when visions of Lilah standing naked and stepping from the tub jumped unbidden into his mind. He said behind the door. "Ah, would you like to eat out or in our room?"
"Would you mind if we stayed in our room?"
"Not at all. I'll go order supper now. Anything particular you want?"
"Whatever you're having is fine with me."
Rush had never met a woman with such unproblematic dining habits.
By the time he returned to their suite, Lilah hadn't entered the sitting room and he lightly knocked on the bedroom door again. "Supper will be delivered in an hour."
She cracked the door and he could see she was wrapped in the coverlet off the bed. Her hair, a mass of tiny ringlets, stretching below her breasts made her look like a fairy princess from one of the books his mother used to read to him. His mouth dropped and he was speechless. She seemed unaware.
"Rush, I simply cannot put that filthy dress back on. Would it be asking too much for you to go to the general store and buy me a readymade dress? I have money in my reticule to repay you. I don't care what the dress looks like. I'm sure you can gauge my size." She bit the corner of her bottom lip. "But if you want me to put the dirty thing back on and go to the store myself, I guess I can."
"Ma'am, there's a general store down the street. I'll go right now. And there's no need to repay me. I received ample money for your journey to Oregon."
"But–"
Rush shook his head indicating her protests would not change his mind. She sighed and the smile she gave him made him feel like he'd just made the sun rise on a new day.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he berated himself for not realizing that, of course, a woman wouldn't want to bathe and then dress in the same outfit she'd been kidnapped and dragged across country in. He stopped at the front desk to ask Percy where there was a dressmaker's shop.
"Just head back toward town and take the first left. A couple of houses down is the dressmaker's. The shop is actually part of her house."
"Thanks, Percy."
Since Rush had already stabled Rio, he walked to the place of business. Turning into the dusty side road, he easily spotted the house with a pretty blue sign of swirly letters that said, Hattie's Lovely Creations.
There was no response to his knock. He figured she was probably closed for the day. Walking the length of the porch and around to the side, he noticed another door. A shadow of movement beyond a small curtained window inset into the door, gave him hope. If she didn't answer, he would go to the general store to buy a dress.
He knocked lightly. There was no answer, so he knocked harder. The curtains flickered and then an elderly woman moved them aside, calling loudly, "If you're looking for the dressmaker, I'm closed."
"Ma'am, this is an emergency. I need a dress for my wife."
She cracked her door, "What kind of emergency?"
"It's, well, a long story. But I'll pay you well for something ready made for a lady about this tall and this big." He attempted to show Lilah's size by motioning with his hands.
The wispy gray hair that had escaped the old woman's bun fluttered around her face and she cackled, "Men!" But she opened the door. "Come this way and follow me to the shop."
Rush had removed his hat when he knocked and now held it against his stomach as he followed the tiny and slightly bent woman.
She said, "So, sonny, what did you do to make your wife so angry you need to buy her a new dress to get back in her good graces."
Instead of trying to explain his situation, Rush chuckled. "I didn't use my good sense."
The woman laughed loudly. "Now if there's a truer statement about men, I never heard it. Least ways you're honest."
She opened a door and Rush entered a woman's world of fabric, lace, hats, gloves, mannequins, tape measures, a couple of sewing machines, and dresses in every phase of completion hanging from a pole stretched across a side wall.
The old woman said, "By the way, I'm Hattie, in case you hadn't guessed." She guffawed at her own joke. Turning to face him head on she said with a twinkle in her eyes, "Now show me again how big your wife is."
Rush grinned sheepishly and lifted his hands. "About this tall and this wide."
"Can you span her waist with your hands?"
"I can."
"Show me with your hands so I can get an idea of her size."
Rush curled his hands and imagined Lilah's waist in between. No, it was smaller since her ordeal. He moved his hands closer and Hattie frowned. He hastened to say, "She's lost weight after being sick."
Hattie's expression changed to one of sympathy. "Okay, I'll see what I got that's ready made. Not much selection 'cause I usually measure my customers. You sure she can't come in tomorrow for a fitting and then wait a week for her dress?"
"I'm sure. We're leaving in two or three days."
Hattie moved to the far end of the rod of dresses. Sorting through them, she said quietly, "Nope, no, huh-uh, too big, too skinny, maybe." She lifted a hanger and pulled a dress out. "How about this one?"
Rush almost grimaced at the gaudy yellow creation with pink bows everywhere.
Hattie laughed heartily. "I'm just joshin' ya, son. No grown woman wants to wear a dress made for a young girl." She placed the gown back, giggling like a girl herself, and reached for another one. "How's this green calico?"
Rush didn't even have to think twice about the simple dress with its rounded neck and long sleeves. "That's perfect. It matches her eyes."
Hattie said, "Now the waist is a little bigger than you showed me. If you bring your missus by tomorrow, I'll refit it while you wait."
"Thank you, ma'am. Now do you also have one of those skirts that make it possible for a woman to ride full saddle? We have a long ways to go on horseback."
Hattie placed a blue veined hand to her temple. "Let me think. I don't get much call for anything like that. Can't imagine why not. If I was prone to riding a horse in this devil land, I'd certainly want one. No, don't think I have… Now wait a minute." She smiled and her cheeks crinkled into cascading wrinkles. "Let me check my back room."
"Yes, ma'am."
Hattie handed him the dress and rushed from the room faster than he would have imagined for one so old and bent. Rush lifted the dress and looked it over. If the seamstress had another, he'd
buy it too.
Hattie returned wearing a grin and carrying a dark brown skirt. "Here ya go. Might be a bit big, but it's got the split skirt. Course your wife's gonna need a blouse to go with it. You want me to add one?"
"Yes, please." He cleared his throat. "And another dress if you have one. Also, some ladies undergarments, but leave out the corset."
Hattie laughed. "Ain't many men who like a woman in a corset."
After Hattie scrounged the store for everything he'd requested, Rush paid for the items and hurried back to his hotel room. Knocking softly on the bedroom door, he said, "Lilah, I've brought you some clothing."
She cracked the door. Still wrapped in the coverlet, her eyes widened when she saw all the packages. Opening the door wide, she said breathlessly, "Just put them on the bed. My goodness, what did you buy?"
Rush tried to fixate his eyes on anything but Lilah wrapped merely in a bed cover. "Only what you needed." There was a knock on the front door. "That must be supper."
Lilah gave him a big smile, and said, "I'll be right out." Even with her face still sun damaged and dark shadows under her eyes, she was still the finest looking woman he had ever laid eyes on. But more importantly, she was the most courageous.
Chapter 13: History Lessons
Lilah walked the short distance with Rush from their hotel to the dressmaker's shop. The clothing Rush had purchased wasn't a perfect fit, but the garments were sewn well and would suffice. She had been pleasantly surprised by the riding skirt and even more surprised that he'd even thought to buy such a thing.
"Here we are." Rush motioned toward a pleasant whitewashed house that was obviously a residence and a place of business.
Lilah couldn't help but become excited when she considered the possibility of finding a home in New Orleans that she could convert a room or two into her own seamstress shop. She held Rush's arm as they stepped onto the porch. Again, excitement bubbled as they entered and she scanned the interior for ideas for her own shop.